DOCSLIB.ORG

Space Preschool Activities

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Space Preschool Activities Space Preschool Activities OBJECTIVES • Students will learn about the Earth’s place in the solar system. • Students will learn that space and other planets do not have the same environment as earth. Vocabulary • Meteor • Meteoroid • Meteorite • Solar System • Constellation • Moon • Sun • Planets • Earth • International Space Station Quick Facts • Gas Giants: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune • Planets that have rings: Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune • You wouldn’t be able to walk on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus or Neptune because they have no solid surface! • There are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on all the beaches on Earth. That’s at least a billion trillion! • One million Earths could fit inside the sun • If you had to fly a plane to Pluto, the trip would take more than 800 years! • The sunset of Mars appears blue Source: natgeokids.com Literature Connection Hello, World! Solar System, by Jill McDonald Chicken in Space by Adam Lehrhaupt, illustrated by Shahar Kober Little Explorers Outer Space by Ruth Martin & Allan Sanders National Geographic Kids Explore My World: Planets by Becky Baines wvstateu.edu/extension [email protected] West Virginia State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content into an alternate accessible format. National Geographic Kids Explore My World: Nighttime by Jill Esbaum Usborne Space Pack including The Planets and the Solar System, The Night Sky, and What’s out in Space Space Match Using die-cut planets have students match them. Sensory Box • Black, silver, gold, and copper foam balls. • Black Beans • In both include plastic planets; stars (confetti, etc.); plastic astronauts, rockets, etc. Constellation Creations Materials • Constellation cards (or printed pictures, preferably laminated) Suggested constellations: Southern Cross; Cassiopeia; Aries, the Ram; Cancer, the Crab; Taurus, the Bull; Delphinus; Equuleus, the little horse; Sagitta, the Arrow; Triangulum; and Ursa Minor • Mini-marshmallows • Spaghetti • Black Construction Paper • tape Directions • Show students constellations. Tell them the stories behind them. • Allow students to copy the constellations. • Tape constellations to black construction paper. • Write Latin and English names of constellations with metallic Sharpie. Lesson Extension After discussing the myths behind the constellations, have students create their own constellation and the story to go with it. Discussion/ Guided Questions Pre-activity • Explain what a constellation is and their connections in history. • Cassiopeia was a queen who bragged about her beauty, saying she was more beautiful than the Greek gods, and was placed in the sky on her throne as a punishment. The throne is very small and she has to hold tight so she does not fall off. Delphinus, though, was a dolphin who saved a man from drowning. (At least, in one version of the story.) During Activity • How many stars are in the constellation? If the marshmallows are stars, how many stars do you need then? • Does the picture look like anything to you? (e.g. Delphinus looks like a kite, Triangulum looks like a triangle, Equuleus looks like the letter “u”) wvstateu.edu/extension [email protected] West Virginia State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content into an alternate accessible format. Quick Facts • Constellations are useful because they can help people to recognize stars in the sky. • In ancient times, stars were used as a calendar! • Stars and constellations can be used for navigation. • Stars are made of gas. Tech Connection iPad App: Star Chart ASTRONAUT HELMETS Vocabulary • Orbit • Tether • Space walk Materials • Brown paper bags (large enough to fit over students head) • Stickers • Glue • Poof Balls • Other miscellaneous crafts Preparation • Cut a rectangle into one side of the paper bag, near the bottom. This is for the students to see out of. • Cut sides so the bag will sit on students shoulders. Directions • Read: Chicken in Space. Talk about what Chicken is wearing. • Show students the parts of an astronauts uniform. • Have students create their own helmet not forgetting to include a straw for water. Guiding Questions • With Chicken in Space • Could an animal go to space? • If you went to space, what would you want to take with you? • What would happen if we traveled to outer space? • What do you think we will see? • What can we find in outer space? • What do you think it is like on the moon, sun, and planets? wvstateu.edu/extension [email protected] West Virginia State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content into an alternate accessible format. Pre-activity Why does an astronaut need a helmet? During Activity Ask students to identify what they have added to their helmet and why. Quick Facts • A dog, a Russian cosmonaut named Laika, orbited the earth before humans. • A monkey went to space before any humans did. Tech Connection • Watch shuttle launches on YouTube. • Watch the SpaceX shuttle land. • NASA’s YouTube channel, particularly Chris Hadfield sharing science with students while on the ISS. Meteors Materials • Flour • Cocoa • Pans • Assorted balls (basketball, golf ball, etc.) Directions • Put flour about 3 inches deep in a pan. • Add a layer of cocoa (for contrast) on top. • Drop balls and create craters. wvstateu.edu/extension [email protected] West Virginia State University is an equal opportunity and affirmative action institution. Upon request, reasonable accommodations will be made to provide this content into an alternate accessible format..
Load more

Recommended publications
  • References and for Further Reading
    Contents Preface. vii Acknowledgements. ix About the Author . xi Chapter 1 A Short History of Planetary Nebulae. 1 Further Discoveries. 1 The Nature of the Nebulae and Modern Catalogues . 3 Chapter 2 The Evolution of Planetary Nebulae . 7 The Lives of the Stars . 7 Stages in the Life Cycle of a Sun-like Star . 9 The Asymptotic Giant Branch . 10 Proto-Planetary Nebulae and Dust. 12 Interactive Winds. 13 Emissions from Planetary Nebulae. 14 Central Stars. 16 Planetary Envelopes . 17 Binary Stars and Magnetic Fields . 19 Lifetimes of Planetary Nebulae . 21 Conclusion . 21 Chapter 3 Observing Planetary Nebulae . 23 Telescopes and Mountings . 23 Telescope Mounts. 26 Eyepieces. 27 Limiting Magnitudes and Angular Resolution . 29 Transparency and Seeing . 31 Dark Adaptation and Averted Vision . 32 Morphology of Planetary Nebulae . 33 Nebular Filters . 35 Star Charts, Observing and Computer Programs. 38 Observing Procedures. 42 Chapter 4 Photographing Planetary Nebulae. 45 Camera Equipment . 45 Software. 48 Filters for Astrophotography . 49 Contents Shooting . 50 Conclusion . 53 xiii Chapter 5 Planetary Nebulae Catalogues . 55 Main Planetary Nebulae . 56 Additional Planetary Nebulae . 58 Chapter 6 Planetary Nebulae by Constellation. 81 Andromeda. 83 Apus. 85 Aquarius . 87 Aquila . 90 Ara . 103 Auriga . 106 Camelopardalis . 108 Canis Major . 111 Carina . 113 Cassiopeia . 119 Centaurus . 123 Cepheus. 126 Cetus . 129 Chameleon . 131 Corona Australis . 133 Corvus. 135 Cygnus. 137 Delphinus . 154 Draco . 157 Eridanus . 160 Fornax . 162 Gemini. 164 Hercules . 170 Hydra. 174 Lacerta. 178 Leo . 180 Lepus . 182 Lupus . 184 Lynx . 190 Lyra . 192 Monoceros . 195 Musca. 198 Norma . 203 Ophiuchus. 205 Orion . 211 Pegasus . 214 Perseus. 219 Puppis .
    [Show full text]
  • Naming the Extrasolar Planets
    Naming the extrasolar planets W. Lyra Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, K¨onigstuhl 17, 69177, Heidelberg, Germany [email protected] Abstract and OGLE-TR-182 b, which does not help educators convey the message that these planets are quite similar to Jupiter. Extrasolar planets are not named and are referred to only In stark contrast, the sentence“planet Apollo is a gas giant by their assigned scientific designation. The reason given like Jupiter” is heavily - yet invisibly - coated with Coper- by the IAU to not name the planets is that it is consid- nicanism. ered impractical as planets are expected to be common. I One reason given by the IAU for not considering naming advance some reasons as to why this logic is flawed, and sug- the extrasolar planets is that it is a task deemed impractical. gest names for the 403 extrasolar planet candidates known One source is quoted as having said “if planets are found to as of Oct 2009. The names follow a scheme of association occur very frequently in the Universe, a system of individual with the constellation that the host star pertains to, and names for planets might well rapidly be found equally im- therefore are mostly drawn from Roman-Greek mythology. practicable as it is for stars, as planet discoveries progress.” Other mythologies may also be used given that a suitable 1. This leads to a second argument. It is indeed impractical association is established. to name all stars. But some stars are named nonetheless. In fact, all other classes of astronomical bodies are named.
    [Show full text]
  • CONSTELLATION TRIANGULUM, the TRIANGLE Triangulum Is a Small Constellation in the Northern Sky
    CONSTELLATION TRIANGULUM, THE TRIANGLE Triangulum is a small constellation in the northern sky. Its name is Latin for "triangle", derived from its three brightest stars, which form a long and narrow triangle. Known to the ancient Babylonians and Greeks, Triangulum was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. The celestial cartographers Johann Bayer and John Flamsteed catalogued the constellation's stars, giving six of them Bayer designations. The white stars Beta and Gamma Trianguli, of apparent magnitudes 3.00 and 4.00, respectively, form the base of the triangle and the yellow-white Alpha Trianguli, of magnitude 3.41, the apex. Iota Trianguli is a notable double star system, and there are three star systems with planets located in Triangulum. The constellation contains several galaxies, the brightest and nearest of which is the Triangulum Galaxy or Messier 33—a member of the Local Group. The first quasar ever observed, 3C 48, also lies within Triangulum's boundaries. HISTORY AND MYTHOLOGY In the Babylonian star catalogues, Triangulum, together with Gamma Andromedae, formed the constellation known as MULAPIN "The Plough". It is notable as the first constellation presented on (and giving its name to) a pair of tablets containing canonical star lists that were compiled around 1000 BC, the MUL.APIN. The Plough was the first constellation of the "Way of Enlil"—that is, the northernmost quarter of the Sun's path, which corresponds to the 45 days on either side of summer solstice. Its first appearance in the pre-dawn sky (heliacal rising) in February marked the time to begin spring ploughing in Mesopotamia.
    [Show full text]
  • Educator's Guide: Orion
    Legends of the Night Sky Orion Educator’s Guide Grades K - 8 Written By: Dr. Phil Wymer, Ph.D. & Art Klinger Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Table of Contents Introduction………………………………………………………………....3 Constellations; General Overview……………………………………..4 Orion…………………………………………………………………………..22 Scorpius……………………………………………………………………….36 Canis Major…………………………………………………………………..45 Canis Minor…………………………………………………………………..52 Lesson Plans………………………………………………………………….56 Coloring Book…………………………………………………………………….….57 Hand Angles……………………………………………………………………….…64 Constellation Research..…………………………………………………….……71 When and Where to View Orion…………………………………….……..…77 Angles For Locating Orion..…………………………………………...……….78 Overhead Projector Punch Out of Orion……………………………………82 Where on Earth is: Thrace, Lemnos, and Crete?.............................83 Appendix………………………………………………………………………86 Copyright©2003, Audio Visual Imagineering, Inc. 2 Legends of the Night Sky: Orion Educator’s Guide Introduction It is our belief that “Legends of the Night sky: Orion” is the best multi-grade (K – 8), multi-disciplinary education package on the market today. It consists of a humorous 24-minute show and educator’s package. The Orion Educator’s Guide is designed for Planetarians, Teachers, and parents. The information is researched, organized, and laid out so that the educator need not spend hours coming up with lesson plans or labs. This has already been accomplished by certified educators. The guide is written to alleviate the fear of space and the night sky (that many elementary and middle school teachers have) when it comes to that section of the science lesson plan. It is an excellent tool that allows the parents to be a part of the learning experience. The guide is devised in such a way that there are plenty of visuals to assist the educator and student in finding the Winter constellations.
    [Show full text]
  • Maui Stargazing Observing List
    MAUI STARGAZING OBSERVING LIST FEBRUARY TELESCOPE OBJECTS FEBRUARY LASER POINTER OBJECTS GALAXIES ASTERISMS M 31 (Andromeda) Belt (Orion) M 32 (Andromeda) Big Dipper (Ursa Major (Rising) M 33 Pinwheel (Triangulum) Great Square (Pegasus) M 81 (Ursa Major) Guardians of the Pole (Ursa Minor) M 82 Ursa Major) Milk Dipper (Orion) M 101 (Andromeda) Little Dipper (Ursa Minor) Shield (Orion) MUTLIPLE STAR SYSTEM Sickle (Leo) Castor (Gemini) Sword (Orion) W or M or Chair (Cassiopeia) BRIGHT NEBULAE Winter Circle M 1 Crab (Taurus) Winter Triangle M 42 Orion (Orion) CONSTELLATIONS GLOBULAR STAR CLUSTER Andromeda (Chained Maiden) M 79 (Lepus) Aries (Ram) Auriga (Charioteer) OPEN STAR CLUSTERS Cancer (Crab) Caldwell 41 Hyades (Taurus) (Bare Eye) Canis Major (Big Dog) M 38 Starfish (Auriga) Canis Minor (Little Dog) M 41 Heart of the Dog (Canis Major) Cassiopeia (Queen of Ethiopia) M 44 Beehive (Cancer) Cepheus (King of Ethiopia) M 45 Pleiades (Taurus) Cetus (Whale) NGC 869 Double Cluster (Perseus) Columba (Dove) NGC 884 Double Cluster (Perseus) Eridanus (River) NGC 1976 Trapezuim (Orion) Hydra (Water Snake) rising NGC 7789 Caroline’s Rose (Cassiopeia) Leo (Lion) rising Lepus (Hare) BARE EYE OBJECTS Orion (Hunter) Rising Satellites and Meteor Showers! Pegasus (Flying Horse) Perseus (Hero) FIRST MAGNITUDE STARS Taurus (The Bull) Achernar (Eridanus) Triangulum (Triangle) Aldebaran (Taurus) Ursa Major (Big Bear) Betelgeuse (Orion) Ursa Minor (Little Bear) Bellatrix (Orion) Capella (Auriga the Charioteer) Canopus (Carinae the Keel) Pollux (Gemini) Procyon (Canis Minor) Regulus (Leo) Rigel (Orion) Sirius (Canis Major) .
    [Show full text]
  • A Collection of Curricula for the STARLAB Greek Mythology Cylinder
    A Collection of Curricula for the STARLAB Greek Mythology Cylinder Including: A Look at the Greek Mythology Cylinder Three Activities: Constellation Creations, Create a Myth, I'm Getting Dizzy by Gary D. Kratzer ©2008 by Science First/STARLAB, 95 Botsford Place, Buffalo, NY 14216. www.starlab.com. All rights reserved. Curriculum Guide Contents A Look at the Greek Mythology Cylinder ...................3 Leo, the Lion .....................................................9 Introduction ......................................................3 Lepus, the Hare .................................................9 Andromeda ......................................................3 Libra, the Scales ................................................9 Aquarius ..........................................................3 Lyra, the Lyre ...................................................10 Aquila, the Eagle ..............................................3 Ophuichus, Serpent Holder ..............................10 Aries, the Ram ..................................................3 Orion, the Hunter ............................................10 Auriga .............................................................4 Pegasus, the Winged Horse..............................11 Bootes ..............................................................4 Perseus, the Champion .....................................11 Cancer, the Crab ..............................................4 Phoenix ..........................................................11 Canis Major, the Big Dog
    [Show full text]
  • Three Naked Eye Galaxies? Dave Eagle
    Three Naked Eye Galaxies? Dave Eagle. Eagleseye Observatory. Star hopping to M31, The Great Andromeda Galaxy. In the autumn sky in the northern hemisphere, the constellations of Perseus and Andromeda are very proudly on display, located on the meridian around midnight, and visible from most of the world. The Great Square of Pegasus is a distinct asterism of four stars. Using just your naked eye, find this square of stars. Incidentally, the top left star (all instructions are now as seen from the northern hemisphere) Sirrah, is now actually Alpha Andromedae. From this square of stars take the top edge of the square and carry the line on towards the left (east) and up. Just under half the distance of the top of the square, you should come to another reasonably bright star. Slightly left and up again, taking a slightly longer journey, you will come to another star of similar brightness. This is Mirach or Beta Andromedae. When you have found this star, turn 90 degrees to the right. You will then see two fairly bright stars leading away. Aim for the second star and gaze at this star. If your skies are reasonably dark, just above and to the right of the second star you should be able to see a faint smudge. This marks the location of M31, The Andromeda Galaxy. In five hops we have found our quarry. Figure 1 – Star hopping from Sirrah to The Andromeda Galaxy. This is the most distant object you can see with the naked eye and is almost 2.5 million light years away.
    [Show full text]
  • Rules & Requirements for an SBAS Observing Certificate 1. You Must
    Rules & Requirements for an SBAS Observing Certificate 1. You must be a member of the SBAS in good standing to receive a certificate. 2. No Go To or Push To aided attempts will be accepted. Reading charts and star hopping are essential skills in our hobby. (You may use these methods to confirm your findings.) 3. Honor system is in full effect. These lists benefit your knowledge of the sky. Cheating only cheats yourself and the SBAS membership. Observations will be verified against digital planetarium charts. You may be required to answer questions about the objects you observed to verify your work. You may also be asked to show one of these objects at a star party. Once a list is completed, it is assumed you are familiar with every object on that list to the point where you can find it again and describe it to another person. 4. Upon completion of a list, submit the original paper version in person to Coy Wagoner at an SBAS meeting, public star party, or informal observing at the Worley. No digital submissions will be accepted at this time. 5. No observations may overlap. If one object is on two lists, your observations must be done on separate dates/times for credit. Copies of your observing logs will be saved and later compared to additional lists to make sure nothing overlaps. No observations prior to January 1, 2015 will be accepted for credit. 6. Observations should be done on your own. If you observe an object in someone else’s telescope or binoculars, the observation does not count unless you did the work to find it.
    [Show full text]
  • These Sky Maps Were Made Using the Freeware UNIX Program "Starchart", from Alan Paeth and Craig Counterman, with Some Postprocessing by Stuart Levy
    These sky maps were made using the freeware UNIX program "starchart", from Alan Paeth and Craig Counterman, with some postprocessing by Stuart Levy. You’re free to use them however you wish. There are five equatorial maps: three covering the equatorial strip from declination −60 to +60 degrees, corresponding roughly to the evening sky in northern winter (eq1), spring (eq2), and summer/autumn (eq3), plus maps covering the north and south polar areas to declination about +/− 25 degrees. Grid lines are drawn at every 15 degrees of declination, and every hour (= 15 degrees at the equator) of right ascension. The equatorial−strip maps use a simple rectangular projection; this shows constellations near the equator with their true shape, but those at declination +/− 30 degrees are stretched horizontally by about 15%, and those at the extreme 60−degree edge are plotted twice as wide as you’ll see them on the sky. The sinusoidal curve spanning the equatorial strip is, of course, the Ecliptic −− the path of the Sun (and approximately that of the planets) through the sky. The polar maps are plotted with stereographic projection. This preserves shapes of small constellations, but enlarges them as they get farther from the pole; at declination 45 degrees they’re about 17% oversized, and at the extreme 25−degree edge about 40% too large. These charts plot stars down to magnitude 5, along with a few of the brighter deep−sky objects −− mostly star clusters and nebulae. Many stars are labelled with their Bayer Greek−letter names. Also here are similarly−plotted maps, based on galactic coordinates.
    [Show full text]
  • Supernova Star Maps
    Supernova Star Maps Which Stars in the Night Sky Will Go Su pernova? About the Activity Allow visitors to experience finding stars in the night sky that will eventually go supernova. Topics Covered Observation of stars that will one day go supernova Materials Needed • Copies of this month's Star Map for your visitors- print the Supernova Information Sheet on the back. • (Optional) Telescopes A S A Participants N t i d Activities are appropriate for families Cre with children over the age of 9, the general public, and school groups ages 9 and up. Any number of visitors may participate. Location and Timing This activity is perfect for a star party outdoors and can take a few minutes, up to 20 minutes, depending on the Included in This Packet Page length of the discussion about the Detailed Activity Description 2 questions on the Supernova Helpful Hints 5 Information Sheet. Discussion can start Supernova Information Sheet 6 while it is still light. Star Maps handouts 7 Background Information There is an Excel spreadsheet on the Supernova Star Maps Resource Page that lists all these stars with all their particulars. Search for Supernova Star Maps here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-search.cfm © 2008 Astronomical Society of the Pacific www.astrosociety.org Copies for educational purposes are permitted. Additional astronomy activities can be found here: http://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov Star Maps: Stars likely to go Supernova! Leader’s Role Participants’ Role (Anticipated) Materials: Star Map with Supernova Information sheet on back Objective: Allow visitors to experience finding stars in the night sky that will eventually go supernova.
    [Show full text]
  • Appendix C a List of the Messier Objects
    Appendix C A List of the Messier Objects DS=DoubleStar OC=OpenCluster GC=GlobularCluster EG = Elliptical Galaxy SG = Spiral Galaxy IG = Irregular Galaxy PN = Planetary Nebula DN = Diffuse Nebula SR = Supernova Remnant Object Common Name Type of Object Location mv Dist. (kly) M1 Crab Nebula SR Taurus 9.0 6.3 M2 GC Aquarius 7.5 36 M3 GC Canes Venatici 7.0 31 M4 GC Scorpius 7.5 7 M5 GC Serpens 7.0 23 M6 Butterfly Cluster OC Scorpius 4.5 2 M7 Ptolemy’s Cluster OC Scorpius 3.5 1 M8 Lagoon Nebula DN Sagittarius 5.0 6.5 M9 GC Ophiuchus 9.0 26 M10 GC Ophiuchus 7.5 13 M11 Wild Duck Cluster OC Scutum 7.0 6 M12 GC Ophiuchus 8.0 18 M13 Great Hercules Cluster GC Hercules 5.8 22 M14 GC Ophiuchus 9.5 27 M15 GC Pegasus 7.5 33 M16 Part of Eagle Nebula OC Serpens 6.5 7 M17 Horseshoe Nebula DN Sagittarius 7.0 5 M18 OC Sagittarius 8.0 6 M19 GC Ophiuchus 8.5 27 M20 Trifid Nebula DN Sagittarius 5.0 2.2 M21 OC Sagittarius 7.0 3 M22 GC Sagittarius 6.5 10 M23 OC Sagittarius 6.0 4.5 135 Object Common Name Type of Object Location mv Dist. (kly) M24 Milky Way Patch Star cloud Sagittarius 11.5 10 M25 OC Sagittarius 4.9 2 M26 OC Scutum 9.5 5 M27 Dumbbell Nebula PN Vulpecula 7.5 1.25 M28 GC Sagittarius 8.5 18 M29 OC Cygnus 9.0 7.2 M30 GC Capricornus 8.5 25 M31 Andromeda Galaxy SG Andromeda 3.5 2500 M32 Satellite galaxy of M31 EG Andromeda 10.0 2900 M33 Triangulum Galaxy SG Triangulum 7.0 2590 M34 OC Perseus 6.0 1.4 M35 OC Gemini 5.5 2.8 M36 OC Auriga 6.5 4.1 M37 OC Auriga 6.0 4.6 M38 OC Auriga 7.0 4.2 M39 OC Cygnus 5.5 0.3 M40 Winnecke 4 DS Ursa Major 9.0 M41 OC Canis
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to the Constellations
    STAR DECK GUIDE TO THE CONSTELLATIONS BY MICHAEL K. SHEPARD, PH.D. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction 1 Constellations by Season 3 Guide to the Constellations Andromeda, Aquarius 4 Aquila, Aries, Auriga 5 Bootes, Camelopardus, Cancer 6 Canes Venatici, Canis Major, Canis Minor 7 Capricornus, Cassiopeia 8 Cepheus, Cetus, Coma Berenices 9 Corona Borealis, Corvus, Crater 10 Cygnus, Delphinus, Draco 11 Equuleus, Eridanus, Gemini 12 Hercules, Hydra, Lacerta 13 Leo, Leo Minor, Lepus, Libra, Lynx 14 Lyra, Monoceros 15 Ophiuchus, Orion 16 Pegasus, Perseus 17 Pisces, Sagitta, Sagittarius 18 Scorpius, Scutum, Serpens 19 Sextans, Taurus 20 Triangulum, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor 21 Virgo, Vulpecula 22 Additional References 23 Copyright 2002, Michael K. Shepard 1 GUIDE TO THE STAR DECK Introduction As an introduction to astronomy, you cannot go wrong by first learning the night sky. You only need a dark night, your eyes, and a good guide. This set of cards is not designed to replace an atlas, but to engage your interest and teach you the patterns, myths, and relationships between constellations. They may be used as “field cards” that you take outside with you, or they may be played in a variety of card games. The cultural and historical story behind the constellations is a subject all its own, and there are numerous books on the subject for the curious. These cards show 52 of the modern 88 constellations as designated by the International Astronomical Union. Many of them have remained unchanged since antiquity, while others have been added in the past century or so. The majority of these constellations are Greek or Roman in origin and often have one or more myths associated with them.
    [Show full text]